Genome-wide association study identifies vitamin B5 biosynthesis as a host specificity factor in Campylobacter.

ABSTRACT: Genome-wide association studies have the potential to identify causal genetic factors underlying important phenotypes but have rarely been performed in bacteria. We present an association mapping method that takes into account the clonal population structure of bacteria and is applicable to both core and accessory genome variation. Campylobacter is a common cause of human gastroenteritis as a consequence of its proliferation in multiple farm animal species and its transmission via contaminated meat and poultry. We applied our association mapping method to identify the factors responsible for adaptation to cattle and chickens among 192 Campylobacter isolates from these and other host sources. Phylogenetic analysis implied frequent host switching but also showed that some lineages were stron

SUBMITTER: Sheppard SK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3718156 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature